Shirring machine



Dec. 3, 1963 c. E. IVES 3,112,517

SHIRRING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 //25 I16 Q 20715v ii? 129 127 Dec. 3, 1963 Filed Sept. 19, 1960 C. E. IVES SHIRRINGMACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 3, 1963 c. E. IVES SHIRRING mourns 16Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 19, 1960 w &w

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SHIRRING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 2/81 9 W/ND/NGOF 220 25m 27m 220 AUXILIARY HEAD RELAY 286w 278? 467.5% 2.90 RESET *000 RELAY Z8Zw HEAD COUNTER I 264 14 I I HEAD I 1 RELAY I I zaz 0 22905ZWaZJ SPLICE AT cur RELAY ZQIW AUXILIARY MACHINE RELAY 283w MACHINECOUNTER 286w MACHINE RELAY 285w HEAD CLUTCH RELAY l/w HEAD BRAKE 43wHEAD CLUTCH 7w PEEL BRAKE 267w MACHINE CL umv RELAY MACHINE BRAKE 58wMACHINE CLUTCH Dec. 3, 1963 c. E. IVES samamc MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 8Filed Sept. 19, 1960 Dec. 3, 1963 Filed Sept. 19, 1960 C. E. IVESSHIRRING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Dec. 3, 1963 c. E. IVES 3,112,517

SHIRRING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 10MW[HHHHHHHHHIIHHHIWU!NIHHHHHHHHIU I! 95 TZIIWH! 36/ 5% 360 q a 360 Dec.3, 1963 c. E. was

SHIRRING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Sept. 19, 1960 Dec. 3, 1963 c.E. IVES SHIRRING momma 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Sept. 19, 1960 V V ADec. 3, 1963 c. s. was

SHIRRING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed Sept. 19, 1960 Dec. 3, 1963 c.E. IVES 3,112,517

SHIRRING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet l4 Dec. 3, 1963 c.E. was

SHIRRING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Sept. 19, 1960 Dec. 3, 1963 c.E. IVES SHIRRING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed Sept. 19, 1960 A, llllm llll k m Pb haw United States Patent 3,112,517 SHlRRlisii MACHINEClifford E. Ives, Chicago, IEL, assigns: to Tee Palr, inc, Chicago, ElL,a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 19, Hit Scr. No. 57,957 34 Claims.{(Tl. I'l -42) This invention relates, generally, to the shirring ofthin walled cellulosic sausage casings and the like and it hasparticular relation to the automation thereof.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide for automaticallyconverting a tubular thin walled ccllulosic casing of indefinite lengthinto a plurality of shirt-ed strands of the casing of definite length ina new and improved manner; to shirr the casing onto a floating mandreland then to transfer it to a receiving mandrel that is separate anddistinct from the floating mandrel; to shirr the casing continuously onthe floating mandrel; to employ a plurality of receiving mandrels and tomount them for endwise movement on and bodily movement with a turretthat is rotatable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of thefloating mandrel; to index the turret for positioning the receivingmandrels. one by one, in endwise alignment with the floating mandrel; toshift the receiving rru'ndrel in alignment with the floating mandrelinto endwise engagement therewith to support it against endwise,sidewise, and rotary movement about its longitudinal axis when the clampmeans otherwise holding it against such movement is disengagedtherefrom; to supply air under pressure through the floating mandrel forinflating the unshirred casing and to continue the supply of air underpressure through the receiving mandrel while supporting the floatingmandrel; to shirt the casing against compaction means positionedadjacent the floating mandrel and in close proximity to the point atwiich the shirring operation takes place; to employ a pair of compactionrolls on opposite sides of the lloating mandrel for the compaction meansand to rotate them in the direction that the casing is shirred at aperipheral speed equal to the linear speed at which the casing isshirred; to sever a Shirred strand of the casing adjacent the compactionmeans or rolls from the following Shirred casing; to separate the foldsand pleats of the shirred casing and to extend them for facilitating theseverance of the Shirred strand and then to contract them to theirshirrcd state; to compress completely the shirred strand on the heatingmandrel in the direction in which the strand is shirred against theclamp means which holds it against movement or alternatively to open theclamp means and transfer the uncompressed strand mandrel in thedirection in which the strand is shirred for the major portion of thetotal compression; to transfer the shirred and compressed strand fromthe floating mandrel to the receiving mandrel in supporting engagementtherewith; to recornpress the strand on the receiving mandrel in thedirection opposite to that in which it is shirred on indexing of theturret to move the receiving mandrel out of alignment with the floatingmandrel or to complete the compression of the strand in the directionopposite to the direction in which the easing is Shirred; to hold thestrand under compression while the turret is being indexed to bring theother receiving mandrels into and out of receiving position with respectto the floating mandrel; to doff the completed strand from the receivingmandrel in a position thereof preceding its movement again into strandreceiving position; to mount the floating mandrel horizontally and tosupport the leading end thereof which projects into the unshirredinflated casing by a roll which is rotated in the direction that thecasing moves to be shirrcd at a periph- Patented Dec. 3, 1%53 cral speedequal to the linear speed that the casing moves; and to perform thevarious operations and functions simultaneously and/or sequentially indefinite timed relation to the end that the casing is shirredcontinuously onto the floating mandrel and the Shirred strands aresevered, one by one, compressed in the shirring direction, transferredto the receiving mandrels or transferred to the receiving mandrelswithout being compressed and thereon compressed in the direction ofshitting. rcconr pressed in the opposite direction to the shiningdirection or further compressed in this oppostie direction, held undercompression and finally dolled from the receiving mandrels.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2, taken together with FIG. 1 being placed to the left ofFIG. 2, shows in perspective and somewhat diagrammatically an automaticshirring machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the succession of events takingplace in the shitting of a strand by the skirting head onto the floatingmandrel and the succession of events which takes place as the Shirredstrand progresses through the shirrcf casing handling machine.

FIG. 4 is a turret diagram which shows one position of the turret whereone of the receiving mandrels is in alignment with the floating mandrel,certain of the re ceiving maudrcls have the Shirred strand held incomrcssion thereon and the receiving mandrel. next to be moved intoalignment with the hosting mandrel, has the strand thereon dolledtherefrom.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view, at an enlarged scale, of a typicalsplice formation at the abutting ends of the fiat casing.

FIG. 6 is a view, in side elevation and looking from right to left ofthe measuring roll as shown in FIG. 2. of one of the supports for themeasuring roll and the squeeze roll and parts associated therewith fordetecting the presence of a splice.

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation. looking to left, of the constructionshown in HQ. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the portion of the apparatus shown in HQ.6, except that the end portion only of the squeeze roll is shown and theoperating handle, shown in FIG. 6, is not illustrated.

FIG. 9 shows. diagrammatically, the drive motor and certain of thecontrol elements associated therewith.

FIG. It shows, iagramrnatically, the circuit connections that are usedin conjunction with the apparatus shown in FIG. 9 for the purpose ofcontrolling the operation of the shirring machine shown in FIGS. L2,upon the occurrence of a splice in the unshirred casing.

FIG. ll is a chart which shows various operations that are performedduring a period of operation of the casing severing means.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the shirred casing severing rncans orthe severing machine, certain parts being broken away in order to showclearly the details of construetion.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the relationship between one ofthe pinch rolls provided with a pinion which is rotated on engagementwith a stationary rack.

PEG. 14 is a perspective view showing the details of construction andmode of operation of the holding finger or digger and of the scoringyoke or cutter.

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the cams and certain of the associatedparts of the severing machine shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 16 is a view showing the relation between the vertical rod whichsupports the holding finger or digger and the transverse head memberwhich, in part, controls its movement.

FIG. 17 is a view from right similar to FIG. 16, showing therelationship between the rod which carries the scoring yoke or cutterand the transverse head member which, in part, controls its movement.

FIGS. 18 to 27 show the sequence of operations involved in performing asevering operation to sever a shirred strand from the following shirredcasing.

FIG. 28 is an elevational view showing the manner in which theconnections are made to rotate the support rails on which the carriageis mounted to move the shirred strand along the floating mandrel and totransfer it therefrom to a receiving mandrel.

FIG. 29 is a view, in end elevation, of the construction shown in FIG.28, the support rails being shown in sec tion, illustrating thepositions of the parts when the carriage jaws are in operative positionwith respect to the floating mandrel.

FIG. 30 is a view, similar to FIG. 29, showing the positions of theseveral parts when the carriage jaws have been moved upwardly and out ofoperative engagement with the floating mandrel.

FIG. 31 is an elevational view of the carriage.

FIG. 32 is a view, in end elevation of the construction shown in FIG.31, certain parts being shown in section, illustrating the carriage jawsin operative position with respect to the floating mandrel, thepositions of the parts here corresponding to the positions of the partsshown in FIG. 29.

FIG. 33 is a view, similar to FIG. 32, and shows the positions of therespective parts when the carriage jaws are moved upwardly out ofoperative engagement with the floating mandrel, the positions of theparts here cor responding to the positions of the parts shown in FIG.30.

FIG. 34 is an elevational view of the right end of the turret and showsa portion of the mechanism employed for moving the clamp jaws into andout of operative position with respect to the floating mandrel.

FIG. 35 is a view, in end elevation, of the construction shown in FIG.34, the clamp jaw being shown in operative position.

FIG. 36 is a top plan view of one of the clamp jaws shown in FIG. 35 andcertain of the associated operating mechanism.

FIG. 37 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 37-37 ofFIG. 38 and showing, at an enlarged scale, the manner in which the clampjaws cooperate with the floating mandrel and how one of the receivingmandrels cooperates with the floating mandrel to hold it against endwiseand rotary movement.

FIG. 38 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 38-38 of FIG. 37.

FIG. 39 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3939 of FIG. 37.

FIG. 40 is a view, in side elevation, of the turret.

FIG. 41 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 41-41 of FIG.42.

FIG. 42 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 42-42 of FIG. 40.

FIG. 43 is a vertical sectional view at an enlarged scale taken alongthe line 43-43 of FIG. 41.

FIG. 44 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section showing thearrangement of the compressor hydraulic operator and how it cooperateswith a compressordofier.

FIG. 45 shows the arrangement of the doffer hydraulic operator and howit cooperates with a compressordotfer.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, positionedin sideby-side relation, the reference character 1 designates,generally, a shirring machine embodying the present invention. Theshirring machine 1 includes a head mechanism, shown generally at 2, anda shirred casing handling machine, shown generally at 3. It will beunderstood that the head mechanism 2 and the shirred casing handlingmachine 3 are mounted on a single frame structure, which is not shown inorder to the the

the

particular when the head mechanism illustrate more clearly the featuresof construction of the various parts of the shirring machine 1.

T he shirring machine 1 is arranged and constructed for automaticallyshirring a thin walled tubular cellulosic sausage casing 4 of indefinitelength as it is unwound from a reel 5. Various lengths of shirred strandare fomed by the shirring machine 1. For example, shirred strands can beformed having extended lengths of 55, or lot) as may be desired. Theseextended lengths of shirred strands are illustrative of typical lengthsand it will be understood that greater and lesser lengths can beshirred. The extended lengths can be of the order of 40 to 150', more orless, as may be desired and depending upon the construction of theshirring machine 1. In order to shirr these various lengths of easingthe shirred casing handling machine 3 is movable endwise with respect tothe head mechanism 2. The shirring machine 1 will be described foroperation in conjunction with the shirring of lengths of casing and themanner in which suitable adjustment is made for shirring the otherlengths of casing will be described.

The reel 5 on which the casing 4 is wound flatwise is mounted forrotation with a shaft 6. Associated with the shaft 6 is an electricallyoperated brake 7 which is normally energized when the shirring machine 1is in operation and is dcenergized when the shirring machine 1 isstopped, or in particular when the head mechanism 2 is stopped. in orderto prevent further unwinding of the casing 4. The flat tubular casing 4is threaded between a squeeze roll 8 and a measuring roll 9, with thearrangement being such that the casing 4 is unrecled from the reel 5 ata speed of 8 per second, although other speeds can be employed ifdesired. The squeeze roll 8 can be driven by friction between it and thecasing 4 or it can be geared to the measuring roll 9 to rotatesynchronously therewith.

The measuring roll 9 is mounted for rotation with a shaft 10 on which anelectrically operated brake 11 is provided which, like the brake 7, isarranged to be deenergized when the shirring machine 1 is stopped, or in2 is stopped, to prevent further rotation of the shaft 10. The shaft 10is connected through an electrically operated clutch 12 to a sprocket 13which is driven by a chain 14 from a drive sprocket 15 on a drive shaft16 which is rotated by a drive motor 17 that preferably is a variablespeed motor and is arranged to rotate the shaft 16 at a speed of 320rpm. The motor 17 preferably is a three phase alternating current motor.However, for illustrative purposes it is shown and described herein as asingle phase motor to simplify the disclosure.

It is desirable that means he provided for detecting a defect in thecasing 4 after it passes between the squeeze roll 8 and the measuringroll 9 and before it is operated upon by the head mechanism 2. For thispurpose tear rolls 18-48 are provided above and below the casingimmediately to the left of the squeeze roll 8 and measuring roll 9.Normally they are held apart by pressure of the inflated casing to holdthe contacts of the tear switch 19 closed. As long as the contacts ofthe tear switch 19 remain closed, the motor 17 continues to beenergized, unless otherwise controlled. However, should a defect in thecasing appear causing it to deflate, the tear rolls 18-l8 move towardeach other and open the contacts of the tear switch 19 and deenergizethe drive motor 17.

The casing 4 is directed by vertically extending side guide rolls 2i)20,immediately to the left of the tear rolls 18-18, onto the leading end 21of a horizontal tubular floating mandrel 22. Air under pressure flowsthrough the floating mandrel 22 and out of its leading end 21 forinflating the casing, as indicated at 23, in order to facilitate theshirring operation. Positioned underneath the leading end 21 of thefloating mandrel 22 is a support roll 24 having a grooved surface forinterfitting with the inflated casing 23 and supporting the 3 leadingend 21 of the floating mandrel 22. The support roll 24 is caused torotate in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon at a peripheralspeed which is equal to the linear speed at which the inflated casing 23moves onto the floating mandrel 22. For this purpose the support roll 24is mounted on a shaft 25 for rotation therewith. A sprocket 26 is faston the shaft 25 and is driven by a chain 27 from a sprocket 28 that isfast on the shaft 16. The chain 27 also extends over a sprocket 29 on ashaft 39 which is employed for driving a shirring head that isindicated. generally, at 31 that can be constructed as disclosed in US.Patent No. 2,722,714, issued Novemher 8, 1955.

The shirring head 31 employs upper and lower shirring belts 34-34 whichare provided with shirring dogs and are trained over pairs of pinions3535 and 36-45:: positioned above and below the inflated casing 23intermediate the ends of the floating mandrel 22 and nearer to theleading end 21 thereof. The shirring belts 34-34 also are trained overpairs of pinions 37-37 and 3S-38. The arrangement is such that theshirring belts 3i-34 ellect the shirring operation on the inflatedcasing 23 continuously. It will be observed that the lower right pinion38 is mounted on the shaft 38 for rotation there with. By this means thelower shirring belt 34 is driven. Fast on the shaft 30 is a gear 39which drives a gear 40 which is fast on a shaft 31 on which the upperright pinion 38 is mounted. Thus the upper and lower shirring belts34-34 are driven at the same speed in the directions indicated by thearrows on the several pinions to effect the shirring operation betweenthe pairs of pinions 35-35 at the point 32. The shirred casing isindicated at 43 immediately to the left of the point of shirring 42.While the shining head 31 has been described as employing the shirringbelts 3-34, it will be understood that other shirring means can beemployed. For example, instead of using two shirring belts located onopposite sides of the inflated casing 23, three such shirring belts canbe employed equally spaced around the inflated casing or 120 apart asshown in US. Patent No. 2,722,- 714, issued November 8, 1955. Also,instead of shirring belts, shirring wheels can be employed which areprovided along their outer peripheries with shirring teeth or dogssimilar to the shining teeth or dogs on the shining belts 34-65. Eithertwo such shirring wheels can be employed on opposite sides of theinflated casing 23, or three such shining wheels can be used in 120spaced relationship as shown in US. Patent No. 2,983,949, issued May 16,1961. If desired, four such shirring wheels can he used as shown in U.S.Patent No. 2,819,488, issued January 14, 1958. In such case they aremounted in 90 spaced relationship around the inflated casing 23.Whatever type of shirring head 31 is employed, the arrangementpreferably is such that it operates continuously to shirr the inflatedcasing 23 at the shirring point 42 to provide the shirred casing 43which moves along the floating mandrel 22 at a uniform speed. For thecondi tions above described the shirred casing 43 moves along thefloating mandrel 22 at a speed of 3.2" per second.

With a view to insuring that the shirred casing 43 moves along thefloating mandrel 22 at a uniform speed, compaction means in the form ofupper and lower compaction rolls 44 and 45 are located above and belowthe floating mandrel 22 in juxtaposition to the point of shirring 42 andto the left of the shirring head 31. They are formed of soft resilientmaterial and are centrally grooved in order to avoid any damage to theshirred casing 43 as it moves there between. The upper compaction roll44 may rotate freely or it may be driven with the lower compaction roll45 which is mounted for rotation with a shaft 46 on which a sprocket 47is mounted to be driven by a chain 48 from a sprocket 49 on a shaft 50.The arrangement is such that the peripheral speed of the lowercompaction roll 45 is equal to or less than the speed cal at which theshirred casing 43 moves along the floating mandrel 22.

The shaft 59 is driven from the drive motor 17 in the following manner.The shaft 50 is driven through mitre gears 5151 from a shaft 52 whichextends vertically and has connection through reduction gears 53a, 53b,53c and 53:! with a vertical shaft 5-1 that is driven by mitre gears5555 from a horizontal shaft 56 on which there is an electricallyoperated brake 57. The arrangement is such that, on dcenergization ofthe drive motor 17 or other control causing the rotation of the shaft 56to cease, the brake 57 is eilcctive to stop such further rotation andfurther movement of the parts driven thereby. The shaft 56 is connectedby a electrically operated clutch S8 to a sprocket 59 which is driven bya chain 60 from a drive spr cket on the shaft 15. By suitablycontrolling the encrgization of the clutch 55, it is possible to stoprotation of the shaft 5a: and movement of the parts driven thereby whilethe motor 17 continues to drive the shaft Ell through the clutch 12.Likewise, it is possible to opt2 the clutch 12 and prevent furtherrotation of the t it? and parts driven thereby while permitting the t 5to continue to rotate. In general, it is pointed out that Shirred casinghandling machine 3 is driven by the drive motor 17 through the shaft 56and parts driven thereby and that the head mechanism 2 is driven by theshaft 16 and the elements directly connected thereto. By selectivelycontrolling the energization of the clutches 53 and 12 it is possibleselectively to control the operation of the shirred casing handlingmachine 3 and the head mechanism 2 as may be desired. Ordinarily,however. the operation of the shirring machine 1 is a continuousoperation with the clutches 53 and 12 being deenergized or unclutchedonly under certain special circumstances requiring such action.

The floating mandrel 22, as the name implies, floats be- '-:en the 5;irring belts 3-l34 with the unshirred inflated .g moving over theleading end 21 and being d, in the manner described, against thecompaction rolls 4 t45. The floating mandrel 22 is held in this positionat its trailing end 63 by clamp means, indicated generally at 64. Theclamp means 64 not only holds the floating mandrel 23 against endwiseand sidewise movement, but also it holds it against rotation about itslonginal axis. However, since the casing is shirred, as indicated at 43,onto the floating mandrel 22, it is necessary to provide means forunclamping the clamp means 64 in order to permit the transfer of theshirred casing from the floating mandrel 22. At the same time, it isnecessary to hold the floating mandrel 22 against endwise and side wisemovement as well as against rotary movement. The manner in which this isaccomplished will be described presently.

The clamp means 64 includes clamp members 65-65 which are arranged toengage the trailing end 63 of the floating mandrel 22 from oppositesides and to hold it not only against endwise and sidewise movement butalso against rotation about its longitudinal axis. The clamp members 65-65 are pivoted at their ends at 6666 on the upwardly extending arms ofbell cranks 6767 which are iivoted at 68-ll about fixed axes.

In order to supply air under pressure to the tubular mandrel 22 forinflating the casing at 23 at the leaong end 21, an air connection 69 isprovided in one or the clamp members 65. The air connection 69 is cvldcdwith a valve arrangement which prevents the ape of the compressed airwhen the clamp members as are disengaged from the trailing end 63 of thefloating mandrel 22. As will be described hereinafter, air underpressure continues to flow through the floating mandrel 22 formaintaining the casing inflated at 23 after the clamp members 65-65 aremoved out of engagement with the trailing end 63 of the floating mandrel22.

The other arms of the bell cranks 67-67 are pivotally connected at 7270to the upper ends of operating rods 71-71 which are commonly pivoted at72 to the outer end of a clamp operating lever 73 which is pivoted at 74about a fixed axis. Intermediate the ends of the clamp operating lever73 is a follower roll 75 which interfits with a cam groove 76 in a boxtype mandrel clamp cam 77 which is fast on a horizontal cam shaft 78.

It has been pointed out hereinbefore that the shirred casing handlingmachine 3 is movable relative to the head mechanism 2 in order toaccomodate different lengths of shirred strands of easing. Also, it hasbeen pointed out that the shirring machine 1 is shown in the positionfor shirring 100' lengths of easing. In this position the shirred casinghandling machine 3 is located furthest away from the head mechanism 2.In order to accornodate this shifting of the shirred casing handlingmachine 3, the cam shaft 78 has a splined connection 79 with a cam shaft343 that is arranged to be rotated at a speed of one revolution in eachtwelve and one-half seconds for the handling of 100 shirred strands.Provision is made for increasing this speed to accommodate shorterlengths of shirred strands. In effect, then, the cam shaft '78 and thecam shaft 89 can be considered as a single shaft with the splinedconnection 79 therebetween.

Fast on the cam shaft 80 is a Worm wheel ill which is driven by a worm82 on a vertical shaft 83. Slidable on the vertical shaft 33 are gears84a, 84b and 840 that are arranged to be moved axially of the verticalshaft 83 by a gear shifter yoke 85. The gear shifter yoke 85 includes arack 36 with which a pinion 37 has lriving engagement and is mounted ona shaft 88 for rotation by a crank 89. The gear shifter yoke 85 occupiesa position corresponding to the lowest speed of the cam shaft 80.Accordingly, the crank 89 is shown by full lines. It is shown by brokenlines in two other positions which correspond, respectively, to the twohigher operating speeds for the cam shaft 86. Fast on the vertical shaft54, which it will be recalled is driven by the motor 17, are gears 90a,90b and 98c. It will be noted that the gear 90:: has driving connectionwith the gear 34a and that the gears 90b and 96c are out of engagement.On movement of the gear shifter yoke 85 by rotation of the crank 89 tothe intermediate position, the gear 84:: is moved out of engagement withthe gear 96:: and gear 84b is moved into driving engagement with gear9%. Likewise, when the crank 59 is moved to the lowermost position shownby the broken lines, the gear 841) is moved out of driving engagementwith the gear 9% and the gear 84c is moved into driving engagement withthe gear 98c.

After a predetermined length of the shirred casing 43 has moved past thecompaction rolls 44-45, it is desirable that this length be severed fromthe following shirred casing to permit the shirred strand, thus severed,to be moved off of the floating mandrel 22 for subsequent treatment in amanner to be described. For this purpose shirred casing severing means,or a severing machine shown generally at 93, is employed. It includes ahousing 94 that is stationarily mounting on the frame of the shirringmachine 1 between the shirring head 31 and the shirred casing handlingmachine 3. In order to provide a separation between the length ofshirred strand to be severed from the following shirred casing a holdingfinger or digger 95 is movably mounted on the housing 94 and, at theappropriate time, is arranged to move upwardly about At" in order toseparate the adjacent folds and pleats of the shirred casing 43. Thearrangement is such that the holding finger or digger 95 not only ismoved upwardly to engage and separate the shirred casing 43 adjacent thecompaction rolls 44-45 but also it moves along the floating mandrel 22at the speed at which the shirred casing 43 moves therealong.

In order to facilitate the severance of the shirred strand from thepreceding shirred casing 43, pinch rolls 96-96 are mounted on pinch rollbrackets 97-97. The pinch rolls 96-96 are rotated in the directionsindicated by the arrows associated therewith for refolding the folds andpleats of that portion of the casing which is extended from the holdingfinger or digger 95. The arrangement is such that the pinch rolls 96-96move along the floating mandrel 22 at a speed which is greater than thespeed at which the casing 43 is shirred. The pinch rolls 96-96 areformed of soft material of a frictional character and are moved towardeach other to pinch the shirred casing thcrebetwecn against the floatingmandrel 22. Since the pinch rolls 96-96 move along the floating mandrel22 at a speed in excess of the speed at which the holding finger ordigger moves therealong, the intervening portion of the casing isunfolded. At the same time, the pinch rolls 96-96 are rotated in thedirections indicated at a peripheral speed which is several times thespeed at which the shirred casing 43 moves along the floating mandrel 22for the purpose, as stated, of refolding the unfoided casing after ithas been severed from the following shirred casing. The pinch rolls96-96 are mounted on pinch troll brackets 97-97 which, in turn aremounted on horizontal shafts 98-98 carried by the housing 94. Thearrangement is such that, when the severing operation is to beperformed, the pinch roll brackets 97-97, which normally are spaced awayfrom the floating mandrel 22, are rotated toward each other to bring thepinch rolls 96-96 into the engagement previously described with theshirred casing and at the same time the pinch rolls 96-96 are rotated.

After the holding finger or digger 95 is moved into engagement with theshirred casing 93 in the manner described and the portion of the casingto the left is extended through the operation of the pinch rolls 96-96,a scoring yoke or cutter 99 is moved upwardly about 2%" to engagetightly the opposite sides of the floating mandrel 22 with the extendedportion of the casing therebetwecn. The scoring yoke or cutter 99 is ofbifuracted construction with the arms being formed by relatively stiffround wires or like rigid members which have substantially point contactengagement with opposite sides of the mandrel 22 and serve to score thecasing. This starts the casing to tear and to be severed on oppositesides of the floating mandrel 22. Since the pinch rolls 96-96 are movedalong the floating mandrel 22 at such a speed as to apply an endwisetension to that portion of the casing between them and the holdingfinger or digger 95, the tension thus applied is sufficient to completethe severance of the casing which is started by the scoring operation inthe manner described. Provision is made also for moving the scoring yokeor cutter 99 along the floating mandrel 22 at the same speed that theholding finger or digger 95 moves therealong. The movement of. theholding finger or digger 95 and of the scoring yoke or cutter 99 alongthe floating mandrel 22 is the order of 2% after which they are moveddownwardly through an extent equal to the extent that they were movedupwardly as described. Thereafter, the pinch rolls 95-96, after havingcompleted their refolding operations on the portion of the casing thatwas extended to permit the severing operation, are moved laterally awayfrom the floating mandrel 22 by a corresponding outward movement of thepinch roll brackets 97-97.

The shirred casing severing means 93 is operated periodically by a shaft109 which is driven by a one revolution clutch 101 at a speed of 30 rpm.The clutch 3'1 is mounted on the shaft 50, previously described, and isdriven thereby. The one revolution clutch 101 is prevented from rotatingby a shoulder 1.02 that extends radially therefrom for engagement by adetent 103 which is pivoted at 104 about a fixed axis on the housing 94.A spring 105 normally holds the detent 103 in position to engage theshoulder 102. The spring is connected to a link Kiln which is connectedat 107 to the detent 103. The left end of the link 196 is pivoted at 108to the upper end of an arm 109 which is fast on a horizontal shaft 116which has a cam arm 111 fast thereon. At its lower end the com arm 111carries a roll 112 which is

1. IN A MACHINE FOR SHIRRING THIN WALLED SAUSAGE CASINGS AND THE LIKE,IN COMBINATION, A FLOATING MANDREL HAVING A LEADING END FOR EXTENDINGINTO A TUBULAR UNSHIRRED CASING AND A TRAILING END, MEANS SUPPORTINGSAID FLOATING MANDREL AGAINST ENDWISE AND SIDEWISE MOVEMENT, A SHIRRINGHEAD IN COOPERATIVE RELATION TO SAID FLOATING MANDREL FOR SHIRRING THECASING ONTO THE SAME, SAID FLOATING MANDREL BEING SUBSTANTIALLYSTATIONARY THROUGHOUT THE OPERATION OF THE MACHINE, A RECEIVING MANDRELSEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM SAID FLOATING MANDREL FOR RECEIVING THESHIRRED CASING THEREFROM, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID RE-